Improvement in sewing-machines



s. J. PARKER.

Sewing Machine.

No. 10,757. Patented April n, 1854.

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` NiTnn STATES PATENT v OFFICE0 SAML. J, PARKER, OF NEWYORK, N'.Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. ML75?,l dated April l1, 1854.

of my sewing-machine. Fig. II is a horizontal transverse section, exhibiting, mainly, only what is desired t-o be claimed. Fig. III is a view of the relative position of the needlesv eye, feed-motion, and shuttle-race in the combination in which I place them.

More particularly, Fig. I represents one form of my sewing-machine. Reference will be had only to the parts to be claimed. M is a table made of wood, marble, iron, or other material, and it is horizontal, and on it the material to be sewed rests. .N is the cap covering a portion of the shuttle-race. P is the point where the feed-wheel acts on the material to be sewed, and causes it to move at suitable times and in suitable quantities to, under, and for the needle E Z fc. The feed-wheel is upon a shaft which is moved by a ratchet, which ratchet I shall not describe, as I do not design to claim it in this specification.

In Fig. II, N is the shuttle-race, with the shuttle O lying in it. P is the feed-wheel. T T is a dotted line .showing a very important matter-namely, the relative position of thev shuttle-race and the shuttle moving in it. The line T T has an arrow upon it to show the direction of the feed motion 5 or, to render this clear and exact, if possible, N is the shuttlerace, andO is the shuttle in it. Now, to those skilled in the art of sewing by machinery, to which?7 this appertains, using the nee dle and shuttle, the relative position of the needles eye is iixed by the position of the shuttlc-race. It can be in butV one and a definite position. to throw a loop with certainty and success. This fact fixes the needles eye in its relative position onto the shuttle-race. The eye of' a straight needle inV the instant of passing the center of the material being sewed on a horizontal table must have the line T T pass through it, and a parallel to that line T T is the only line at right angles to the longitudt nal axis of the shuttle at the moment of passing a horizontal plane, which plane passes the longitudinal axis ofthe shuttle, and said longitudinal axis of the shuttle, meaning a line lengthwise of the shuttle, that can at that instant pass through the needles eye; or, if this does not define what I mean, then I describe it as follows: First, the eye of the needle (the main point I wish to secure by Lettersv Patent) is fixed by the position ofthe shuttle-race, and hence need not be referred to any further; second, T T is the line of the feed-motion, and

II place the race N and the shuttle O at right angles to this feed-motion; an d this position of' the race and its shuttle I refer to only when used with ahorizontal table and with a straight needle. To state the same thing again, in other words, I describe the combination of a straight needle at right angles to the shuttle race, when a line -through the eye of the needle is parallel to the line of the feed-motion, the

same being also'in combination with a horizontal table. I Practically, there is no difficulty in this statement, for the practical process of threading a needle, either of a sewing- -maehine or a hand-needle, is that the needle is in and part of a plane, and the eye of a needle is a hole cut through that plane at right angles to it in every direction; and threading a needle is passing a thread-that is, a linethrough that eye at right angles in every direction to said plane, and the attempt never is made to pass the thread by any other line than the right-angled one to said plane. The plane of' the needle thus defined is in my machine at right angles to the feed-motion and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle, and said line through the needles eye, as thus dened, is parallel to the feed-motion at the instant the eye is passing the line of the feed-motion, and this position of the needles eye and shuttle and feed-motion is referred to only when the needle is straight and the table is horizontal,`

as already said. The reason why it is so very difficult to describe my combination is the want of fixedness to the needle. There is no difficulty of a shuttle and its race at right angles to the feed-motion. It means but one thing;

but the idea about the needle meets with the difiieulty that while a needle has a fixed longitudinal axis, it has no other fixed line. The

` nearest approach m-y mind ixes on isthat the eye is a hole-that is, a tube-Whose Walls are y circular or tubular, and the tube is straight; and the axis of this hole or tube is at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the needle, and isv fixed in regard to the cylinder, which is the needle. Then assume that, practically, there is never but one line sought in threading a neeneedle. This bias I seek to avoid as far as possible; hence I place asI do my needles eye; and the rest of the construction follows as a necessary consequence therefrom.

By Fig. III, I show more fully what has been said. E d is the point Where the needle plunges; t T T, the line I have attempted exactly to Iix and describe. T T is also the line of the feedmotioir P is the feed-Wheel on the said line T T. The arrow indicates the direction of the feed-motion. O is the shuttle in its race N, the middle or central plane of P. The feed-Wheel touches the line T T, and, if extended, cuts 'that line throughout, as seen in Fig. III.

motion, and the position of the shuttle and its race resulting therefrom, when the needle is straight and the table on Which the material to be sewed isd horizontal, said relative position meaning the longitudinal axis of the shuttleand its race at'right angles to the feed-motion and the 'consequent position of the needle s eye th erefrom7 so that a line drawn th rough the needles eye, When in the act of passing the center of the material sewed, shall coincide With the line of feed-motion, not be at right angles therewith, and this for the purpose of rendering thestitch more nearly straight and perfect than it otherwise would be, the combination and purpose substantially as described.

SAMUEL J. PARKER.

Witnesses:

ASA PARKER, S. A. CARPENTER. 

